Department for Transport

A13

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the state of the cleanliness of the A13 between the junction with the M25 and the junction with the A130; and what steps they intend to take to remove litter from that stretch of road.

Baroness Kramer: The Highway’s Agency is responsible for litter picking the A13 between M25 Junction 30 and the A1089 interchange. East of the A1089, the A13 is the responsibility of Thurrock Council. The Agency regularly assesses their section of the A13 and takes action to pick litter in accordance with the 1990 Environmental Protection Act’s Code of Practice. The Agency is aware that the A13 suffers from heavy littering. They are currently utilising existing traffic management which is in place for a major improvement scheme at junction 30 of the M25, to undertake intensive litter clearance. This operation will continue for several weeks. In addition the Agency is engaging with local stakeholders, educating and encouraging HGV drivers to cover their vehicles to prevent litter and debris falling onto the verges. They are also liaising with Thurrock Council to identify ways to improve the levels of cleanliness in this area.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Devolution: England

Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the recommendations of the Non-Metropolitan Commission’s recent report, "Devolution to Non-Metropolitan England"; and what is their assessment of the possible gains for counties from devolution compared to those for city regions.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have not undertaken any formal assessment of that third-party report. However, I would draw attention to the recent Command Paper, Implications of devolution for England (Cm 8969) which sets out the Government’s approach to further decentralisation in England, including the views of both Coalition parties, both of which make reference to the role of England’s counties.

Homelessness

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they provide as part of their homelessness prevention strategy to help prevent relationship breakdown.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: I refer the Right Reverend Prelate to my previous response of 9 March 2015 to question HL5087.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Maldives

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the arrest and imprisonment of former President Mohamed Nasheed in the Maldives, and allegations of police brutality and denial of legal representation in his trial.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the decision of the courts in the Maldives to deny former President Nasheed rights of appeal; and what discussions with the Commonwealth have taken place about the rule of law in the Maldives.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are concerned about last month’s arrest of former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed on charges of terrorism and increasing political tensions. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), issued a press statement on 26 February expressing concern at the continued detention of Mr Nasheed and urging all political parties to act with moderation and restraint. It is important for international confidence in Maldives that Mr Nasheed, like all other citizens, is seen to be enjoying due legal process and respect for his fundamental rights. Mr Swire discussed these concerns again with the Maldives Foreign Minister on 6 March. He has also discussed this case with the Secretary General of the Commonwealth and with High Commissioners in London. The Commonwealth made clear in a press statement on 23 February the importance of ensuring that the rule of law is respected, with adherence to due process, and in accordance with the Commonwealth Charter. We continue to monitor the situation closely.

Eastern Europe

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have with regard to the aims and agenda of the European Union’s Eastern Partnership summit meeting at Riga in May 2015.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We expect the Eastern Partnership Summit in Riga to send a strong message of support to Eastern Partnership countries. It is vital that they make their own strategic choices without third party interference and for the Summit to confirm the EU’s support for the implementation of real reforms on the ground for the benefit of citizens, including through the implementation of the EU Association Agreements with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Syria

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the fate of the Assyrian Christian prisoners abducted by Daesh on 24 February from Syrian villages along the River Khabour in Hassaka Governorate.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We understand that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has abducted more than 200 Assyrian Christians from the Hassaka region in North-East Syria. We believe that, in another act of appalling barbarity, ISIL has executed at least 15 of the hostages and that 23 Assyrian Christians have since been released following the payment of ransom money by the families. We remain concerned for the remaining hostages, most of whom are women, children and elderly people. We support the UN Security Council Statement condemning the abductions and demanding the Christians immediate release.The UK is committed to defeating ISIL, an organisation that has no place in today’s world. We will continue to work with the Global Coalition of more than sixty countries to ensure that ISIL no longer poses a threat to the people of the region, to international stability or to our own national security.

Saudi Arabia

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that the Saudi blogger, Raif Badawi, may now face execution by beheading for his decision to renounce his religion.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised Badawi’s case with the Saudi Deputy Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Naif when they met on 24 February 2015. The Deputy Crown Prince confirmed that Badawi’s case had been referred to the Saudi courts for further consideration. We will continue to monitor Mr Badawi’s case closely and await its outcome. The UK has repeatedly made clear that it opposes the death penalty around the world because we believe it undermines human dignity and there is no evidence that it works as a deterrent. Ministers, our Ambassador, and the Embassy team in Riyadh frequently raise the issue of the death penalty with the Saudi authorities, bilaterally and through the European Union.

Iran

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel concerning Mossad’s recent analysis of Iran’s nuclear programme.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: In accordance with longstanding convention followed by successive governments, we are not in a position to comment on the detail of intelligence matters. However, officials from the Government of Israel have regular discussions with our Embassy in Tel Aviv about Iran and the E3+3 negotiations with Iran on its nuclear programme.

Occupied Territories

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel concerning its plan to expropriate 500 dunams of land in East Jerusalem for a landfill site.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We regularly raise the illegality of settlement activity in East Jerusalem and the forcible transfer of Bedouin populations throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories with Israeli interlocutors.

Middle East

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel following the reported shooting of a man on the roof of his family home in Deheishe refugee camp.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv discussed this incident with the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). They relayed our concern to the IDF over its decision not to open an investigation on the grounds that it had substantive information to confirm that soldiers responded after a direct hit on a fellow soldier.

Middle East

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the shooting of a Palestinian student drinking from a water fountain in a Jerusalem school, what representations they will make to the government of Israel concerning schools in the West Bank becoming secure areas for children.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: While we have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities, our officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raise the issues of excessive use of force and human rights violations against children with Israeli authorities. Most recently, our Ambassador in Tel Aviv discussed Israel Defence Forces excessive use of force with the Israeli Attorney General.

Middle East

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the report in Haaretz that Israel already has a plan to evacuate the communities along the Gaza Strip border, what assessment they have made of the likelihood of military action in that area; and what steps they are taking with the international community to prepare to evacuate Gazan citizens in the event of such action.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Government is deeply concerned that the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. We assess that the situation is bleak and our levers for change are few, but given the high human costs involved, we have been clear that all parties must do everything they can to reduce the possibility of a return to conflict. We are not taking any steps to prepare to evacuate Gazan citizens.

Iran

Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of whether Iran's construction of a heavy-water research reactor at its Arak facility places that country in breach of its international obligations.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Under UN Security Council Resolution 1737 Iran is prohibited from undertaking heavy water-related activities. Under the Joint Plan of Action (JPoA) agreed between the E3+3 and Iran in November 2013 and subsequently extended to 30 June 2015, Iran committed to not make any further advances on the Arak reactor for the duration of the JPoA. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General’s 19 February report on the status of Iran’s nuclear programme confirms that Iran continues to abide by its nuclear commitments under the JPoA. The report also confirmed that the reactor remains under IAEA safeguards.

Libya

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of lives saved as a result of the United Kingdom's military action in Libya; and what is their estimate of the number of lives lost in Libya since January 2013.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: It is very difficult to verify how many lives have been lost since January 2013 or saved as a result of the UK’s military action in Libya. However Britain played a key role in preventing the bloodbath that would have taken place in Benghazi had we not intervened. The decision to intervene in Libya in 2011 was an international one, taken by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and other international partners following a call from the Arab League and authorisation at the UN Security Council.The UK is deeply concerned by the increasing violence and political polarisation in Libya, and its impact on the Libyan people and the stability of the wider region. It is of paramount importance that all Libyans recognise the terrible strain that the conflict is putting on their country. We strongly support the efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya, Bernardino Leon, and the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), to resolve the political and security crisis and pave the way for peaceful political dialogue. The UK welcomed the dialogue talks hosted by UNSMIL in Rabat from 5 to 7 March, and the following week in Algeria and Brussels. We urge all participants to attend further talks with goodwill and adopt inclusive policies, to lay the foundations for a Government of National Unity.

Overseas Trade: Israel

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the latest developments in respect of the United Kingdom trading with Israeli settlements.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK Trade and Investment-Foreign and Commonwealth Office Overseas Business Risk website is the forum through which the British Government raises awareness of the key security and political risks which British businesses may face when operating abroad. Whenever asked by British businesses about settlements, we set out the UK’s clear position on the illegality of Israeli settlements under international law, and share with them our advice as set out in the online guidance, published 1 June 2014.The link to the Overseas Business Risk website is below and our current guidance on Israeli Settlements is attached:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-business-risk-israel/overseas-business-risk-israel



Guidance on Israeli Settlements
(Word Document, 19.57 KB)

Department for International Development

Overseas Aid

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what sums were reimbursed from the Department for International Development to the Ministry of Defence in each of the last 10 financial years in respect of services or supplies provided by the Ministry of Defence for overseas aid purposes.

Baroness Northover: Since 2005 the Department for International Development has reimbursed the Ministry of Defence by the following amounts for services and supplies provided by the British Armed Forces in support of humanitarian and disaster-relief operations:   Year of activityEmergency Amount reimbursed by DFID to MOD2005Pakistan Earthquake£1,900,0002007Bangladesh Cyclone£140,0002008Cyclone Nargis£8,6602009Padang Earthquake£185,0002010Haiti Earthquake£620,0002010Pakistan Floods£615,0002013Philippines£8,950,0002014Iraq£1,967,0002014-ongoingEbola response in Sierra Leone£28,000,000

Overseas Aid

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the total cost to the United Kingdom of expenditure on Overseas Development Assistance in each of the years since 1985; and what percentage of gross national income it represented in each year.

Baroness Northover: The total cost to the United Kingdom of expenditure on Official Development Assistance in each of the years since 1985, and the percentage of gross national income (GNI) it represented in each year is set out in the tables below.   YearUK Net ODA, £mODA/GNI YearUK Net ODA, £mODA/GNI19851,1800.33% 20002,9740.32%19861,1850.31% 20013,1790.32%19871,1420.28% 20023,2810.31%19881,4850.32% 20033,8470.34%19891,5780.31% 20044,3020.36%19901,4850.27% 20055,9260.47%19911,8150.32% 20066,7700.51%19921,8480.31% 20074,9210.36%19931,9450.31% 20086,3560.43%19942,0890.31% 20097,3010.51%19952,0290.29% 20108,4520.57%19962,0500.27% 20118,6290.56%19972,0960.26% 20128,8020.56%19982,3320.27% 201311,4620.71%19992,1180.24%

Malawi

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken, including provision of any financial support, to help with the humanitarian problems caused by recent floods in Malawi.

Baroness Northover: DFID Malawi has committed to provide up to £4.1 million to support both emergency response and early recovery efforts. These are funds from DFID Malawi’s 14/15 budget, including contingency humanitarian funds and the use of value for money savings. This is additional to the £3.4m already provided in response to meet the humanitarian needs of the food insecure during the lean season. DFID is working closely with partners to ensure that flooding support reaches those that need it most, in line with the Government of Malawi’s Preliminary Response Plan and coordinated through Government-led structures. No UK funding is channelled through Government of Malawi systems.   UK commitments so far include: · £1m to the World Food Programme which is supplying 370,000 people with food for the first weeks, including by air to areas cut off by rising waters; · £665,000 to UNICEF to provide emergency water, sanitation and hygiene facilities to prevent the spread of disease in displacement camps; · Over £1m through NGO and private sector partners to provide seeds and tools to smallholder farmers whose crops have been damaged by the floods. · £800,000 through the UN Humanitarian Fund, in support of particular coordination and camp management, nutrition, protection and health activities, plus funds for specialist UN personnel to coordinate the response.   In addition, a number of NGOs have also accessed the Start Fund, a funding mechanism for delivering rapid humanitarian assistance which is jointly funded by the UK and Irish Governments. ActionAid, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide and Save the Children have used £350,000 from the fund to provide vital resources to those displaced by the floods.

Malawi

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what organisation or body they have established to assist with the rebuilding of homes, infrastructure and agricultural development following the recent floods in Malawi.

Baroness Northover: The UK has not established any new organisation or body to support floods recovery. DFID Malawi has committed to provide up to £4.1 million in response to the floods, which includes supporting communities to rebuild their homes and their livelihoods through existing programmes and through multilateral partners.

Malawi

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions have taken place with the government of Malawi and international institutions with regard to the recent floods in Malawi.

Baroness Northover: The UK continues to work closely within the coordination structures established by the Government of Malawi and the UN to ensure our support is part of a well-coordinated relief and recovery response. The UK fully supports the efforts of the Malawian Department of Disaster Management Affairs and Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development. However, no UK funding is channelled directly through Government of Malawi systems.

Home Office

Police: Ethnic Groups

Lord Condon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of reductions in the workforce of police forces, what steps they are taking to recruit more police officers and support staff from ethnic minority communities.

Lord Bates: It is vital that the police reflect the communities they serve and I am determined to improve Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) representation in all 43 forces in England and Wales.A number of police forces are currently recruiting officers. Decisions on when and how to recruit individuals are for the chief officer of a police force. It is important that they use equalities legislation, including positive action provisions, to make better progress in terms of recruitment of under-represented groups.This Government's reforms have already made improvements, for example we set up the College of Policing which has embarked on a major programme of work, BME Progression 2018, looking at recruitment, retention and progression of black and minority ethnic officers, including the development of an evidence base of successful approaches used by forces.As part of this programme the College recently published Positive Action Practical Advice, which advises forces on the use of lawful positive action to support the recruitment, retention and progression of officers from under-represented groups.Also, under this Government innovative schemes such as Direct Entry and Police Now are increasing the number of BME recruits to the police, showing that you can achieve better representation while attracting the best and the brightest into policing.Of the nine direct entry superintendents who began their superintendent training four (44%) are women and two (22%) are from an ethnic minority background. This is significantly more representative than the current make up of the superintendent rank which is comprised of 17% women and 4% from an ethnic minority background.Police Now, an innovative graduate scheme implemented in the Metropolitan Police, received such a high calibre of applicants that it made provisional offers to 79 individuals, up from an anticipated 50. Of these, 16% per cent are from a BME background as compared to the Metropolitan Police’s current BME officer make up of 11%, and the national police BME proportion of 5.2%.The Metropolitan Police also introduced its London residency criteria for recruits in August 2014 since when the proportion of BME applicants has risen to approximately 40%, a percentage which now matches the BME population of London.

Cabinet Office

Succession to the Crown Act 2013

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 will be brought into force.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Further to the answers of 26 February (HL Deb, col 922), 23 June (HL224) and 8 December (HL 3512), all Realms have concluded the necessary processes before implementation with the exception of Australia. All six of the Australian States have now enacted the necessary legislation and the Australian Government has recently introduced the Commonwealth’s Succession to the Crown Bill into the Australian Parliament. Once that legislation has received Royal Assent, the UK Government will then be in a position to make the commencement order for the Act.

Charities

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of charity law in the United Kingdom and the case for reform.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Government published its response to Lord Hodgson’s statutory review of the Charities Act 2006, and the Public Administration Select Committee’s review of the regulation of charities on the legal and regulatory framework for charities in England and Wales in September 2013. Most of the reports’ recommendations were accepted and these are currently being taken forward.The Joint Committee on the Draft Protection of Charities Bill published its report into its scrutiny of the Draft Protection of Charities Bill on 25 February 2015. The Draft bill would give the Charity Commission more powers to tackle mismanagement and abuse in charities. The Government will respond shortly. Charity law is devolved in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Almshouses

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of almshouses.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Almshouses continue to play an important role today in providing accommodation for those in need throughout the United Kingdom and have a role in responding to the huge national challenge of creating more housing specially designed for older people. Almshouses have been part of this country's life for many generations and also make a valuable contribution to our national heritage by maintaining many fine, historic buildings.